Edinburgh Castle Guided Tour

Description

The tour group will meet at the Royal Mile at the scheduled time, just outside St. Giles's Cathedral, from where we'll make our way towards the imposing structure that is the medieval castle. From the castle, we'll be able to take in the most stunning views of the city and surrounding area.

After learning all about this historic location, and receiving your tickets, we'll head inside to begin exploring the castle's main buildings, the 3 museums of the citadel and the war prisons.

Upon reaching the highest point of the castle, we'll see the following places:

• The oldest surviving building in Edinburgh, St.Margaret's Chapel (built around 1130).
• The Crown Square, the castle's main courtyard, from here, we'll be able to see the Great Hall and its spectacular collection of weapons and armour.
• The Scottish National War Memorial.
• The Royal Palace. Did you know that James Stuart, son of Mary Stuart, was born in one of these royal rooms?

Within the walls of the palace, we'll also be able to see the vault that houses the Scottish crown jewels, called the Honours of Scotland, as well as the Stone of Destiny, on which kings were crowned during the Middle Ages.

After 1.5 hours, the guided tour will finish up in the vicinity of the castle.

Ticket to Edinburgh Castle

If upon making your booking you select the "tour without tickets", you'll need to make sure that you've purchased your own ticket prior to the event. This option exists for those who have previously purchased a castle ticket and want to join one of our expert guides on a guided you inside the castle. It's not meant for those who only want to visit the outside of the castle, as the tour will only remain outside the castle walls for a very short period of time. Please make sure the ticket is valid for the same time and date as the tour of Edinburgh Castle itself. We recommend purchasing your ticket well in advance during the high season to avoid disappointment. Please note that without the attainment of a castle ticket, we won't be able to grant you permission to join us on one of our tours.

Guided visit

Edinburgh Castle is made up of more than 20 buildings. The guided tour will take place within the citadel, but your guide will tell you about each respective building while standing in front of them. This means you will not go inside the buildings with the guide. However, once the tour has finished you'll be free to go and explore the buildings and monuments at your own pace, that caught your attention during the tour.